Another truck mangled by railroad underpass

January 15, 2014

Police Detective Wade Boley said Herman Roney, 72, of Cranberry Township, Pa., was driving the 2008 GMC box van out of town when it got stuck around 1:34 p.m.

Clearance for the underpass is 10 feet 6 inches. The van is a foot taller, Boley said.

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A 2008 GMC box van got stuck beneath the Columbiana-Lisbon Road underpass Tuesday afternoon. Driven by a 72-year-old Cranberry Township, Pa., man, the truck was over the allowed clearance by one foot. The accident blocked traffic about an hour for both lanes and heavily damaged the Market Day vehicle. (Special to the Salem News/Columbiana Police Department)

The van sustained heavy damage, with the underpass shearing off the top completely to the back of the vehicle. Traffic was blocked both ways for about an hour while a Norfolk & Southern Railroad employee inspected the underpass.

Boley said the underpass was not damaged and the inspector cleared the railroad for train traffic after the accident.

The box van was towed from the scene by Geary's Towing, which also provided transportation for Roney to their shop for other arrangements to be made, Boley said.

Roney was cited for assured clear distance.

In October an 18-wheel American Transportation Services semi got stuck beneath the underpass, blocking traffic for more than three hours and delaying train service.

The roof of the Volvo cab and top of the 53-foot-long trailer was also shorn off in that accident but the underpass was not damaged.

The tractor trailer was 12-foot tall and carrying no cargo at the time.

Boley also investigated that accident and a citation was issued to the driver, who was attempting to get into town from Columbiana-Lisbon Road.